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Characterization of Solenopsis invicta virus 4, a polycipivirus infecting the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta

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Abstract

Solenopsis invicta virus 4 (SINV-4), a new polycipivirus, was characterized in the host in which it was discovered, Solenopsis invicta. SINV-4 was detected in the worker and larval stages of S. invicta, but not in pupae, male or female alates, or queens. The SINV-4 titer was highest in worker ants, with a mean of 1.14 × 107 ± 5.84 ×107 SINV-4 genome equivalents/ng RNA. Electron microscopic examination of negatively stained samples from particles purified from SINV-4-infected fire ant workers revealed isometric particles with a mean diameter of 47.3 ± 1.4 nm. The mean inter-colony SINV-4 infection rate among S. invicta worker ants was 45.8 ± 38.6 in Alachua County, Florida. In S. invicta collected in Argentina, SINV-4 was detected in 22% of 54 colonies surveyed from across the Formosa region. There did not appear to be any seasonality associated with the SINV-4 infection rate among S. invicta nests. SINV-4 was successfully transmitted to uninfected S. invicta colonies by feeding. Among three colonies of S. invicta inoculated with SINV-4, two retained the infection for up to 72 days. The replicative genome strand of SINV-4 was detected in 18% (n = 11) of SINV-4-infected S. invicta colonies. Among 33 ant species examined, the plus genome strand of SINV-4 was detected in undetermined species of Dorymyrmex and Pheidole, Cyphomyrmex rimosus, Monomorium pharaonis, Pheidole obscurithorax, Solenopsis geminata, Solenopsis richteri, Solenopsis xyloni, and Solenopsis invicta. However, the replicative (minus) genome strand was only detected in S. invicta. SINV-4 infection did not impact brood production or queen fecundity in S. invicta. The mean brood rating (63.3% ± 8.8) after 31 days for SINV-4-infected colonies was not statistically different from that of uninfected colonies (48.3 ± 25.5). At the end of the 31-day test period, mean egg production was not significantly different between SINV-4-infected S. invicta colonies (287.7 ± 45.2 eggs laid/24 hours) and uninfected control colonies (193.0 ± 43.6 eggs laid/24 hours).

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

We thank C.A. Strong (formerly USDA-ARS, Gainesville, FL) for technical assistance. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the United States Department of Agriculture or the Agricultural Research Service of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.

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The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, USDA-ARS, 1600 SW 23rd Drive, 32608, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Steven M. Valles, David H. Oi & James J. Becnel

  2. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center, Tennessee State University, McMinnville, TN, USA

    Jason B. Oliver

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  1. Steven M. Valles
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  2. David H. Oi
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  3. Jason B. Oliver
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  4. James J. Becnel
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Steven M. Valles, David H. Oi, Jason B. Oliver, and James J. Becnel. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Steven M. Valles, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Steven M. Valles.

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Communicated by Simona Abba’

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Valles, S.M., Oi, D.H., Oliver, J.B. et al. Characterization of Solenopsis invicta virus 4, a polycipivirus infecting the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta. Arch Virol 167, 2591–2600 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-022-05587-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-022-05587-4

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